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Tate had been away for the day, busy with work commitments and meetings that stretched from morning to evening. As she finally got some time to breathe, her first instinct was to text Y/N. But when she sent a quick "Hey, miss you. How's your day going?" the response never came. Hours passed, and Tate's messages turned from playful to worried. She sent a few more texts:
- "You okay?"
- "Babe? Everything alright?"
- "Please, answer me."
When the texts still didn't get a response, she decided to call. It rang...and rang...straight to voicemail. Tate's stomach tightened with unease. This wasn't like Y/N. Normally, even if she was busy, she'd send a quick text. But today? Radio silence.
As the hours stretched into the evening, Tate's worry turned into panic. She called several times, left voicemails, and even tried messaging Y/N on social media, hoping to get *any* sign that everything was okay. Her mind spiraled with every worst-case scenario imaginable.
Finally, Tate couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed her jacket, jumped into her car, and sped over to Y/N's house. By the time she reached Y/N's place, it was nearly midnight. Her hands shook as she knocked on the door, praying to see Y/N's familiar face, safe and sound.
When Y/N finally answered, she stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable. Tate's eyes widened in relief, and without thinking, she rushed forward, wrapping Y/N in a tight embrace. "Oh my God, I've been so worried," Tate cried, her voice trembling. "Why didn't you answer me? I called you a million times!"
But Y/N didn't hug her back. She stood there, cold and distant, barely acknowledging Tate's presence. Tate's heart dropped. "Y/N, what's going on? Please talk to me."
Y/N turned away, heading inside, leaving Tate standing at the door, feeling confused and hurt. Tate followed her inside, her voice growing more desperate. "Did I do something wrong? Please, if I did, just tell me. I'm sorry for whatever it is."
But Y/N continued to ignore her. Not a word, not a glance in her direction.
The silence stretched through the night, and Tate's worry morphed into heartache. She didn't understand. Everything had been fine between them — perfect, even. Now, it was as if Y/N had flipped a switch and completely shut her out.
By the next day, Tate's emotional walls had crumbled. She hadn't slept, hadn't eaten, and had spent the night pacing Y/N's living room, hoping for a sign that things would go back to normal. But Y/N remained distant, avoiding her every attempt to connect.
Eventually, as the sun set on the second day of the silent treatment, Tate broke down completely. Tears streamed down her face as she sank to the floor, her voice cracking as she pleaded, "Please, Y/N, talk to me. I don't know what I did wrong. I can't take this anymore."
It was then that Y/N's icy resolve melted. The sight of Tate, so broken and desperate, hit her hard. She had meant to carry the prank for 24 hours, but seeing Tate sobbing on the floor, begging for an explanation, made her realize she'd gone too far.
Y/N knelt down beside her, tears welling up in her own eyes as she reached out to touch Tate's hand. "Tate... I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling with guilt. "It was just a stupid prank. I wanted to see how you'd react if I ignored you for a day, but I didn't think it would hurt you this much."
Tate looked up, her tear-streaked face a mix of confusion and hurt. "A prank?" she repeated, her voice hoarse. "You ignored me for a whole day, made me think I'd lost you... for a *prank*?"
Y/N nodded, her heart aching with regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just—"
"You don't know how scared I was," Tate interrupted, her voice thick with emotion. "I thought something had happened to you. I thought you didn't want me anymore. You can't do that to me, Y/N."
"I know, I know," Y/N said quickly, pulling Tate into her arms. "I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't mean for it to go this far. I was just messing around, but I see now how wrong it was."
Tate clung to her, her sobs quieting as she rested her head against Y/N's shoulder. "Please... don't ever do that again."
"I won't," Y/N promised, stroking her hair. "I swear I won't. I'm so sorry, Tate."
They sat there on the floor together, Y/N holding Tate tightly, whispering apologies until the pain in Tate's heart began to fade. It took time, but eventually, Y/N's reassurances soothed the hurt she had caused.
The prank had backfired in the worst possible way, but in the end, Y/N learned a valuable lesson: some things were too important, too fragile, to be toyed with.
As the tension from the prank began to dissipate, Y/N gently pulled Tate from the floor to the couch. The guilt in Y/N's chest was overwhelming, and she couldn't stop apologizing. "I'll make it up to you, I swear," she whispered softly, guiding Tate down to lie with her.
Tate still looked exhausted, emotionally worn out from the stress of the last day. Y/N kissed her forehead, her lips lingering there for a moment as if hoping the warmth would melt away the hurt she caused. Tate's breathing was still uneven, but she didn't pull away, and that was enough for Y/N to keep trying.
They lay curled up together, Y/N gently pulling a blanket over them. She wrapped her arms around Tate, holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world. "I'm going to take care of you tonight," Y/N murmured into Tate's hair, her voice tender. "Anything you want, anything you need. Just tell me."
Tate's voice was small, still thick with leftover tears. "I just want you here. I just...need you close."
Y/N's heart swelled at the vulnerability in Tate's voice. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise," she said, pressing soft kisses along the side of Tate's face. "I'm right here. I'm so, so sorry I made you feel like I wasn't."
Tate didn't say anything for a while, but Y/N could feel her slowly relax in her arms, the tension finally easing out of her body. They stayed like that for a long time, just wrapped up in each other, the silence between them a soft balm instead of the sharp ache it had been before.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" Y/N offered quietly, running her fingers through Tate's hair, trying to offer her comfort in any way she could.
Tate shook her head slightly. "No... just hold me."
Y/N didn't hesitate. She pulled Tate even closer, their legs tangled together, her arms tight around her as if she could physically protect her from the hurt she'd caused. She buried her face in Tate's neck, breathing her in, letting the rhythm of their closeness soothe the ache in her own chest.
"You don't have to forgive me tonight," Y/N whispered, her voice breaking slightly. "But I want you to know how much I love you. I'm so sorry for scaring you like that."
Tate shifted slightly, turning to face Y/N, their faces only inches apart. "I love you too," she whispered back, her eyes soft and a little sad. "I just... I need you to promise you won't do anything like that again. I can't take it."
"I promise," Y/N said immediately, her voice full of sincerity. "I swear, Tate. Never again. I'll spend the rest of forever making it up to you."
Tate gave a small nod, her lips quivering with the remnants of her emotions. She leaned in, brushing her lips gently against Y/N's, the kiss soft and full of unspoken forgiveness. It wasn't passionate or heated, but it was exactly what they needed — a quiet reconnection after a storm.
For the rest of the night, Y/N stayed true to her word, doing everything she could to make Tate feel loved and secure again. She whispered sweet nothings, rubbed her back gently, and never let go, holding her close as they drifted off into a much-needed sleep.
Tate might still be hurting, but Y/N knew she would spend as long as it took to rebuild the trust she had shaken, one soft kiss and tender moment at a time.
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